


Save The Blue To Save Me And You

by WhoIsWren



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Confessions, Crushes, Cute, Environmentalism, Fluff, M/M, Sea Shepherd, Secrets, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-14 23:46:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15400269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhoIsWren/pseuds/WhoIsWren
Summary: TJ starts acting really cagey and when Cyrus finds out his big secret he discovers a whole new side to the basketball star.





	Save The Blue To Save Me And You

**Author's Note:**

> Check out the notes at the end for little BTS of this fic ;)

Cyrus kicked a stone and lethargically watched it skip across the footpath. Sighing, he shoved his hands in his pockets and continued his walk. It was a beautiful day with the sun shining and even the birds were chirping. Cyrus was walking across from the shoreline, the beauty of the beach to his right yet Cyrus fixated his eyes on the pavement.

It was the epitome of the perfect Saturday and Cyrus was miserable.

Cyrus never liked being alone but for some reason today he felt extra lonely. It wasn’t because Buffy was having a much needed mother daughter day, and it wasn’t even because Andi and Jonah were on a date.

The reason for his despondency was the fact that TJ had full out rejected his invitation to hang out without any excuse at all.

He’d flat out refused and reverted to his jerk ways when Cyrus asked why. TJ had growled and stormed off, leaving Cyrus standing heartbroken and confused in the school hallways.

That was two days ago and they haven’t spoken since.

Cyrus feels like he’s done something wrong but for the life of him he can’t figure out what. What’s worse is that he had no one to talk to about this issue. Andi didn’t know TJ enough to give proper advice. Jonah, sweet, sweet Jonah was just too happy-go-lucky to understand drama. There was no way in any level of Hell that Cyrus was going to Buffy about this. She’d rip TJ’s head off without hesitation.

Lifting his head Cyrus looked out at the picturesque ocean. It was perfectly blue with the golden sand and rays of warm sunlight. There was a black Marquee being raised on the shore with a large group of people in black hoodies ambling around it.

For a moment Cyrus just stared at the smiling group, wishing he could join in on the happiness. He though his friendship with TJ was solid, they told each other things they never told anyone else, they saw each other through some really difficult times and celebrated every little achievement together. Everything had been going so well, then it was like it all came crumbling down and Cyrus had no idea why.

He knew why this dismissal hurt more than others would. Though he had been trying to deny it for months now Cyrus finally admitted to himself the crush he was harbouring on TJ.

It was that teasing smile, the soft eyes, the long talks and nicknames. Cyrus fell hook, line, and sinker for TJ Kippen and what’s worse was that for a moment, he thought TJ felt the same.

Just as Cyrus was about to turn away from the group on the beach and continue his walk of loneliness he spotted something that made his heart lurch.

There was only one person who could pull off a quiff like that, only one person who stood like they owned the whole planet and would take on all who stood between them and glory.

“TJ?” he called out, against his better judgement.

The boy jerked, shoulders tensing and hands clenching, before slowly turning to face Cyrus. Never before had Cyrus seen TJ look as frightened as he does now, not even when talking about his learning disability. Eyes wide with shock, mouth slack and body shaking TJ stared at Cyrus.

Steeling himself, Cyrus closed the distance between them and stood in front of TJ at the entrance to the beach. Cyrus was a noticer; therefore he noticed TJ’s black hoodie was the same as the other people gathered on the beach. Upon closer inspection Cyrus saw the Jolly Roger symbol on the breast, though this logo was slightly different than the historical pirates used. This skeletal image had a crook and a trident crossed beneath it.

Glancing at the marquee behind TJ, Cyrus saw the words _‘Sea Shepherd’_ emblazed on it. Cyrus thought the logo was pretty clever, not that he had any idea what it really meant.

“What… What are you doing here Cyrus?” TJ growled, his eyes narrowing and jaw tensing. Over the past few months Cyrus has learnt all of TJ’s growls and glares. This particular set was not one of angry, but one of fear.

“I was just walking and I saw you. What’s going on here? Is this why you couldn’t hang out with me? What’s a Sea Shepherd?” Cyrus babbled for a moment though not mindlessly. He knew sometimes the best tactic with TJ was to back him into a corner.

Once assaulted with too many questions and Cyrus’ pleading eyes, TJ tended to fold. It was a superpower Cyrus only used under dire circumstances; this seemed pretty dire.

“Uh, um,” TJ stammered, looking for an out before sighing and rubbing the back of his neck. “Dammit Cyrus, why can’t you ever let things go?”

“You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat,” Cyrus shrugged though his stomach was turning in on itself. “Is this some of your stuff?”

Since beginning their friendship they’d talked about almost every topic available. Two months ago he’d even worked up the courage to come out to TJ, who had smiled beautifully and told him it was nothing to be ashamed of. TJ had then come out to him in return. To say Cyrus was shocked would be an understatement.

Cyrus was sure they’d fully unpacked all their _stuff_ by now, but maybe not. Maybe there was more to TJ than Cyrus ever realised.

“No, this is… it’s not anything bad, okay?”

“Then why didn’t you tell me about it instead of yelling and storming off?” Cyrus crossed his arms over his chest, needing the extra shield. He worried he valued their friendship more than TJ did. What if TJ thought Cyrus was just some dumb Grade 7 that kept bugging him?

There was a reason Cyrus only really had two friends – until Jonah tagged along and made three. He wasn’t good at keeping them. Most times people either thought he was a freak at first glance and never bothered to strike up a friendship or they became friends and couldn’t deal with the eccentricities of Cyrus Goodman.

Perhaps he wrongfully thought TJ could handle it.

“Cy, it’s not anything against you. You know me better than anyone but some habits are hard to shake you know?” TJ reached out and placed his hand on Cyrus’ shoulder, bringing the younger boy’s eyes up. “Sea Shepherd is an ocean conservation organization. I, I volunteer with them and we’re doing a beach clean-up today.”

 _TJ always got scared of the weirdest things_ , Cyrus thought. When his mind actually processed everything he smiled and shook his head. He felt like such an idiot.

Knowing TJ as he did Cyrus understood – to a certain level – why TJ was so afraid to mention his volunteering.

No one expected the captain of the basketball team, the big bully on campus, to spend his Saturday picking up rubbish on the beach to save the ocean. No one in school expected TJ to have a heart or care about anything but basketball.

How wrong they were.

Looking up at the nervous teenager Cyrus practically melted. 

“You could have told me, Smart Guy,” Cyrus smiled. He’d made a pact to himself to never jokingly call TJ stupid, or any other variable of the word. TJ wasn’t dumb at all, but his learning disability made his self-esteem plummet, no matter how convincing his acting was. Cyrus was working on boosting his confidence back up to where it belonged.

“I was worried someone might overhear,” TJ mumbled, blushing slightly. He removed his hand from Cyrus’ shoulder, though it slowly travelled down his arm causing Cyrus to shiver.

“I wish you’d let everyone see the TJ I see, the smart, kind, and funny guy. ‘Cause I think he’s pretty great.” Now Cyrus was the one blushing and he refused to look TJ in the eyes, in case he gave away any more about his crush.

“Well, you’re special.”

Yeah, Cyrus was never getting over this crush. Not with the way TJ talked or the amount the guy touched him. Cyrus was pretty sure TJ was a little touch starved and had now become an affectionate puppy. Not that Cyrus minded this, not one bit.

“TJ we’re about to start! Bring your boyfriend!” a female voice shouted at them from under the Sea Shepherd flag.

Cyrus is very proud of himself for not squeaking like a terrified mouse at the word _‘boyfriend’_. Was his crush that obvious?

“What do you say Underdog? Want to clean up a beach to save some turtles?” TJ used that tone of voice, the same tone that got Cyrus to take a chocolate chocolate-chip muffin, the same tone that got him to swing higher. It was the tone TJ used whenever he was nudging Cyrus out of his bubble wrapped comfort zone.

“Uh, I’m not exactly dressed like a marine warrior,” Cyrus tugged self-consciously at his navy pea coat and glanced meaningfully at his khaki slacks and brown dress shoes. Compared to the hoodie wearing people around him Cyrus was incredibly overdressed.

“That’s not a no,” TJ grinned, grabbing Cyrus’ hand and leading him onto the beach towards the tent, “and you look perfect.”

Okay, that might have been a squeak but luckily TJ was too preoccupied with leading him through the crowd to notice.

TJ released Cyrus’ hand and stopped near a balding man with a big grey beard and camouflage pants. Cyrus’ left eye twitched, the man looked pretty scary. Turns out he was the head of the local Sea Shepherd group and responsible for the clean-up that day. He talked the group through the safety rules and went on a little bit about the background of the organization.

Cyrus was riveted, listening to the great work this group does in defending marine life and some of the shocking facts about how harmful plastics and other garbage is to animals. It was eye opening and the guy only spoke for about five minutes.

The group dispersed after the talk, each of them grabbing a blue bucket and a pair of tongs or gloves that were provided. TJ smiled wide when he brought Cyrus a bucket and both a set of tongs and gloves, while he only had the gloves.

“Hey TJ, whoever gets the weirdest trash buys next month’s milkshakes!” the same female voice from earlier calls out. The voice belongs to an Asian teenager with dirty blond hair and a wicked smile. She winks at Cyrus when he catches her eye.

“You’re on, Alisha!” TJ shouts back and they watch the girl laugh and skip away. Taking a few steps in the opposite direction from Alisha, TJ begins inspecting the sand.

“Now what?” Cyrus asks when TJ looks back at him after noticing that he hasn’t moved.

“Now we pick up trash, genius,” TJ rolls his eyes. Reaching out TJ pulls on Cyrus’ coat to get him moving. “There’s no big secret or massive plan to it, Cyrus. We just walk around, picking up bits rubbish for two hours, then we pile it all up and the end and count it.”

Cyrus puts on the gloves and uses the metal tongs to pick up a chip wrapper half buried in the sand. It takes a few tries but eventually the rubbish comes free and Cyrus places it in his bucket. Already the feeling of doing something good was washing over him and he smiles before what TJ said catches up with him.

“Did you say _two hours_?” Cyrus screeched. How could they possible spend that long picking up trash? It wasn’t even like the beach was that dirty.

“Come on, Underdog. It’s good for the planet and the animals, _and_ it’s a new experience. It’ll be great.”

With TJ smiling at him like that, who was Cyrus to refuse?

It took them nearly an hour and a half to walk one length of the beach, though to be fair they were walking very slowly. Regularly Cyrus had to stop and rub his sore neck. Looking down for such a long period of time was causing some serious neck cramps.

They had stuck close to the water’s edge, TJ telling him that a lot of rubbish on beaches usually washed ashore from somewhere far away. The idea that they were picking up rubbish that could have come from another country really freaked Cyrus out.

So far the weirdest thing Cyrus had found was a glittery pencil sticking out of the sand, and TJ had found an old dirty sneaker.

TJ had said he wanted to pick up the pace on the way back and Cyrus listened to him spout environmental facts as they turned around  and walked along the rocky edge of beach, far from the water, back towards the tent.

“Did you know that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish? Doesn’t that just make you want to scream and find a way to save this planet we’re killing?”

Cyrus had bent down to pick up the 27th cigarette butt he’d seen on their walk when TJ spoke. He turned his head up to look at the boy who was staring out at the ocean with determination burning in his veins.

It was a beautiful sight that made Cyrus smile.

“You’re really passionate about this stuff aren’t you?” he softly asked, placing the cigarette in his bucket and standing up.

They walked quietly together for a few moments. Cyrus had learned that when something really mattered to TJ he needed the time to figure out what he wanted to say, so Cyrus stayed silent and kept an eye out for trash.

“I don’t think I ever told you but turtles are my favourite animal. To a turtle a plastic bag looks just like a jellyfish which is their main food source. They’re choking out there because humans prefer convenience over what’s _right_ ,” TJ shook his head like he was angry at the world. Cyrus suspected that he was. “I saw this video once of people pulling a plastic fork out of a turtles’ nose. It was horrible so I do whatever I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Cyrus swooned a little, his knees buckling slightly as he gazed at TJ. Pure of heart and defender of helpless animals, Cyrus wasn’t going to survive TJ Kippen.

When TJ looked at him he looked nervous and shy as if he was worried he’d spoken too much. Cyrus firmly shoved his crush down – it was impossible to talk to a boy he liked if all he could focus on was how cute or kind said boy was – and focused on being TJ’s friend.

“TJ, being passionate about something other than basketball isn’t a bad thing. I think it’s amazing that you care about the environment and animals; you shouldn’t be ashamed or embarrassed by it. You should embrace it, be an Eco-Warrior,” Cyrus smiled, hoping he was using that term correctly.

TJ laughed, the fear fading from his eyes, and the two of them continued on their trek. Cyrus resisted the urge to pat himself on the back.

The walk back to the Sea Shepherd tent was quick and Cyrus found they stopped less yet somehow managed to collect twice as much rubbish. The amount of chip packets and chocolate bar wrappers in his bucket was astounding, but the most collected item of trash was without a doubt the cigarette butts.

Cyrus had never been interested in smoking before and today just reaffirmed that.

Once they reached the tent Cyrus saw a group of volunteers seated on a large blue tarp with an astonishing mound of trash in the middle, sorting and counted the trash. TJ poured his bucket’s contents into the pile and Cyrus followed suit.

He just stared at the pile in some kind of trance. Figuring this must be what it’s like to have your mind blown, Cyrus just let it happen. He couldn’t believe the amount of trash everyone collected, couldn’t believe the type of things they’d found.

Half a tire.

A candle holder.

A welcome mat.

Enough shoes to fill a closet.

Almost enough for three full sets of cutlery.

Then there were the piles and piles of wrappers, plastic containers, cans, bottles, bottle caps, cigarette butts and other loose bits of soft plastic.

It was horrifying, disgusting, fascinating, and sobering. Cyrus was having all these thoughts about the amount of plastic in his life and how careless he is with his rubbish. He never thinks about what happens to his rubbish, or how he could stop producing as much rubbish in the first place.

There are many things in life that don’t cross your mind until you’re exposed to them. This is one of those moments for Cyrus and he’s glad TJ is here to open his eyes.

“Crazy, right?” TJ nudged his shoulder against Cyrus’. Shocked speechless – something that _never_ happens to Cyrus Goodman – he could do nothing but nod.

Crazy might have been an understatement!

“Alright TJ, show me the goods,” Alisha came up to them hands behind her back and vicious grin on her tanned faced.

TJ pulled a large butchers knife from behind his back. It was rusted and the wooden handle had rotted away but it still looked deadly. Cyrus had been convinced it was some long lost murder weapon and they shouldn’t disturb the crime scene. Most of the time TJ tended to go along with Cyrus’ hair brained ideas but this time the boy shook his head and placed the large knife in his bucket.

Cyrus was sure TJ would win their little bet when Alisha revealed her prize. It was a rubber child’s toy, fully intact but covered in a layer of old seaweed and sand. Though a little distorted and all its colour faded there was no doubt what it was.

A fake dead fish.

Cyrus gaped at the thing for a moment before bursting out laughing. A fake dead fish on a beach? What are the odds!

“You win, you totally win,” TJ chuckled, before placing his knife carefully on the pile. Alisha laughed in victory as she threw her toy in the pile.

“Yes! Next clean up the pre-game milkshakes are on you. Bring the boyfriend next time too so we can get to know each other,” Alisha winked before running to join the other volunteers and helping with the sorting of trash.

Luckily Cyrus’s mind was still a little slow so he didn’t react to the _‘boyfriend’_ comment.

“There’s a café around the corner, do you wanna get lunch?”

Cyrus turns to look at TJ and smiles but TJ has that nervous look on his face again. Seriously, TJ worries about the oddest things and Cyrus can’t figure this one out.

“Sure,” he shrugs, hoping to show TJ it’s not a big deal. TJ nods once but that nervous look doesn’t vanish, if anything it only grows. Before Cyrus can ask what’s wrong, TJ seems to pick up his courage.

Coming to stand directly in front of Cyrus, instead of at his side, TJ looks at Cyrus and licks his lips. A sudden wave of nerves crashes over Cyrus, his heart beating wildly.

“Since I’m coming clean on a lot of stuff today I might as well take it a step further,” TJ stops and swallows so heavily Cyrus’ eyes are drawn to his Adam’s apple.  “I was wondering if, if maybe the lunch could be a… date?”

Cyrus’s thought his mind was blown when he saw the pile of trash, but that was more of a shutting down. This, right now, is a true mind blown experience.

TJ Kippen, his crush, just asked him out.

Did Cyrus travel to an alternate universe? Did he die and go to Heaven? Did he fall asleep and this is all a dream? Because this can’t be real life, can it?

Looking up he sees the vulnerability in TJ’s face and decides this is real.

“I’d like that,” Cyrus whispers, not trusting his voice more than that.

The smile that blooms on TJ’s face is one of the most beautiful things Cyrus has even seen and he smiles in return. For a moment all they do is smile stupidly at each other like a couple of love sick teenagers, which technically they are so whatever.

Finally shaken out of their bubble TJ reaches out his hand and Cyrus looks at that tanned hand. Taking a deep breath Cyrus slides his hand into TJ’s, interlocking their fingers. His heart is pounding so much he’s sure TJ can feel it.

As he takes a few steps, Cyrus frowns and rubs his thighs with his free hand.

“My legs feel like jelly.”

TJ’s laugh is like music to his ears and Cyrus forgets all about his aching thighs. He’s going on a date with TJ and nothing can ruin this moment.

* * *

 

The next morning Cyrus doesn’t even try to get out of bed. Reaching over to his bedside table Cyrus grabs his phone and pulls up his texts.

_Cyrus –  
I’m not even getting out of bed. My legs hurt too much. I blame you for this, you and your smile. _

_TJ –  
Omw with breakfast :)_

Cyrus smiles giddily and buries his face in his pillow to stem the squeals. Dating TJ is going to be the best thing he ever did.

Even if he can’t move.

**Author's Note:**

> This idea sprang from a little stalk of Luke Mullen’s (actor who plays TJ, just FYI) Instagram. He seems to be really into environmental issues and I thought that was amazing.  
> Also, yesterday I actually participated in my first ever Beach Clean Up hosted by Sea Shepherd, which was such an amazing experience.  
> I really encourage everyone to get involved in your local community and participate in Clean Up’s and other events, or even just learning how to reduce your waste so it won’t have a chance to end up in the oceans in the first place.  
> [Plastic Free July](http://www.plasticfreejuly.org/)  
> [Sea Shepherd](https://www.seashepherdglobal.org/)
> 
> FUN FACT: the weirdest thing I picked up yesterday was actually the glittery pencil :P And, all the things mentioned in the trash pile are actual things that were collected during my clean up, as well as TJ and Alisha’s weird objects. No joke people, there are some weird things littering our beaches.  
> Cyrus’ legs hurting wasn’t me being funny or whatever. I can hardly move today, my thighs are just burning so badly. It hurts so much, but it’s a good pain. 
> 
>  
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://www.nothing-personal-my-dear.tumblr.com)


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